Pick a template

In Publisher 2010, click Greeting Cards or Invitation Cards in the list of templates.

Scroll through the predesigned card publications. When you find one that you like, click it to see a larger image preview.

Under Customize and Options, you can modify many design elements before you open the publication:

Under Customize, click the color scheme and font scheme that you want.

Under Customize, click the business information set that you want, or create a new one.

Under Options, select the page size that you want, such as Half-page side fold or Quarter-page top fold.

Under Options, select the layout that you want.

Note: If you use a template that you downloaded from Office Online, you cannot customize the design until you open the publication.

Click Create.

If you don't see a design that you like, you can search for additional card templates on Office.com by returning to the New page and entering greeting card, invitation card, or any other type of card, in the search box and pressing ENTER.

Personalize your card

Make global design changes

You might want to make changes that affect the entire publication. For example, you might want to try other color or font schemes. You can make such changes at any time, but it is best to do it before you insert the text and pictures.

Do either of the following:

To try a different color scheme, on the Page Design tab, click the color scheme that you want. If you hover over the color schemes you’ll immediately see how your greeting card will look if you choose the color scheme.

To try a different font scheme, on the Page Design tab, click Fonts, and then choose the font scheme that you want.

To change the page size, on the Page Design tab, click Size, and then select a new page size.

Work with the text

To replace the placeholder text with your own message, simply select the placeholder text, and then type your own message.

Add new text

On the Insert tab, click Draw Text Box.

In your card, point to where you want one corner of the text to appear, and then click and drag diagonally until you have a box that is the size that you want. Click inside the box to type and format your text.

Replace the placeholder text with a verse

In the Page Design tab, click Options.

For Category, click the message category that you want. Under Available messages, click the message that you want, preview the two parts of the message on the right, and then click OK.

Print and finish the card

In Publisher, cards are set up to be printed on specific sizes of paper. For example, if you select a design that is sized for letter-size paper, you need to make two folds in the paper after you print the card.

1 When you preview the card before you print it, it looks like step 1.

2 When you print the card on a color printer, before it is folded, it looks like step 2.

3 In step 3, you fold the card in half from top to bottom.

4 In step 4, you fold the card from side to side.

Print the card

When the card looks the way that you want, save the file.

Click File > Print, and then under Settings, verify that the appropriate format is selected, such as Side-fold, quarter sheet, Side-fold, half sheet, or Booklet, side-fold.

Note: These options are available only when the publication page size is smaller than the paper that the publication is set to be printed on.

The preview pane shows how your publication will look on the printed page. Make any changes you like to the printing options, such as the number of copies, and then click Print.

Purchase card stock that is designed for greeting cards from specific manufacturers. These packages usually include envelopes. Print one or two test cards on plain paper to verify that your publication prints as you expect before you print on the manufacturer's product or more expensive card stock.

Personalize your card

Make global design changes

You might want to make changes that affect the entire publication. For example, you might want to try other color or font schemes. You can make such changes at any time, but it is best to do it before you insert the text and pictures.

Do any of the following:

To try a different color scheme, click Color Schemes in the Format Publication task pane, and then click the color scheme that you want.

To try a different font scheme, click Font Schemes in the Format Publication task pane, and then click the font scheme that you want.

To change the page size, click the Options section in the Format Publication task pane, click Change Page Size, and then select a new page size in the Page Setup dialog box.

Most of the predesigned cards are formatted to be printed on letter-size paper that you fold into quarter pages. You might want to print on both sides of half-letter-size paper.

How do I change the page size to half-letter size?

In the Page Setup dialog box, click Advanced.

In the Custom Page Size dialog box, type the name of your custom page size. For example, type Half-letter size.

Under Options, select Half-page side fold in the Sheet fold list.

Under Page, change the width to 4.25" and the height to 5.5".

Under Preview, verify that your page and sheet sizes are formatted the way that you want them, and then click OK.

Work with the pictures

Replace the placeholder pictures with your own pictures

Right-click the placeholder picture, click Change Picture on the shortcut menu, and then choose the source of the new picture.

Tip: If you don't see Change Picture when you right-click, click the placeholder picture once until you see white circles surrounding the picture's frame. Click the picture again until you see gray circles with x's in them surrounding the picture itself, and then right-click the picture.

Repeat, as needed, for other pictures in your publication.

Add a new picture

On the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then choose the source of the new picture.

Click Insert.

Do any of the following:

To reposition the picture, drag it.

To resize the picture, position the mouse pointer over one of the corner handles, and then drag.

To change the picture colors, right-click the picture, click Format Picture on the shortcut menu, click the Picture tab, and then click Recolor.

If you already created a business information set that includes a logo, you can quickly add your logo to the greeting card. On the Insert menu, click Business Information, and then double-click Logo in the Business Information task pane.

Work with the text

Replace the placeholder text with your own message

If you already created a business information set, your business contact information and logo automatically replace some of the placeholder text.

Note: Business information does not automatically replace the placeholder text in templates that you download from Office Online. To replace placeholder names, addresses, and logos with your business information, click the smart tag button
for a business information item, such as the company name or address, and then click Update from Business Information Set. (The smart tag button appears when you click text or a logo.)

Select the placeholder text, and then type.

Adjust the text size. Do one of the following:

To prevent the text from resizing automatically to fit in a text box that is not connected to other text boxes, click the text box, point to AutoFit Text on the Format menu, and then click Do Not AutoFit.

To change the font size manually, select the text, and then select a new font size in the Font Size list on the Formatting toolbar.

Print and finish the card

In Publisher, cards are set up to be printed on specific sizes of paper. For example, if you select a design that is sized for letter-size paper, you need to make two folds in the paper after you print the card.

1 When you preview the card before you print it, it looks like step 1.

2 When you print the card on a color printer, before it is folded, it looks like step 2.

3 In step 3, you fold the card in half from top to bottom.

4 In step 4, you fold the card from side to side.

Print the card

When the card looks the way that you want, save the file.

On the File menu, click Print, and then click the Publication and Paper Settings tab.

Under Printing options, verify that the appropriate format is selected, such as Side-fold, quarter page, Side-fold, half-page, or Booklet, side-fold.

Note: These options are available only when the publication page size is smaller than the sheet that the publication is set to be printed on.

Click Print Preview to see how your publication will look on the printed page. Then you can make any necessary adjustments before you print it.

Make any needed changes to the printing options, such as the number of copies, and then click Print.

Tip: Purchase card stock that is designed for greeting cards from specific manufacturers. These packages usually include envelopes. Print one or two test cards on plain paper to verify that your publication prints as you expect before you print on the manufacturer's product or more expensive card stock.